The present invention relates to a temporary emergency shelter, and more particularly to a raised deck system therefor which accommodates uneven terrain.
Most structures are built from traditional materials and features which are inappropriate for non-traditional construction applications speed of assembly is essential. One situation where common methods and materials are particularly inappropriate is emergency/natural disaster situations or military operations in remote locations. In such situations, it is required that the materials used to construct a temporary building be light weight such that they are readily transported. Other requirements include low cost, ease of assembly, and minimization of the tools required for assembly.
Various prefabricated, temporary and modular building systems currently exist. Each has various tradeoffs including transportability, construction time and resistance to the elements. Typically, the more permanent the structure the less transportable the structure becomes and the greater the terrain preparation is required upon which the temporary structure is to be built.
One complicating factor regarding the construction of a temporary structure is that the terrain where the structure is to be located may not be suitable for construction of conventional prefabricated structures. Oftentimes, the site where the structure is to be located includes undesirable terrain features such as undulated terrain and other undesirable environmental conditions such as sandy, muddy or flooded terrain which complications construction of relatively rigid and permanent temporary structures. Such complications are particularly acute for emergency hospital-type structures which require sterile locations and may need to be capable of overpressure to sustain operation in nuclear biological and chemical (NBL) environments.
Accordingly, it is desirable to provide a modular, lightweight, easily-assembled, relatively rigid and permanent building structure and a method for assembly therefore which readily accommodates undesirable terrain features.